Valve guide cooling means



May 10, 1955 P. T. BRANTINGHAM 2,707,944

VALVE GUIDE COOLING MEANS Filed Feb. 5, 1952 United States Zflhii Patented May l0, 1955 hee VALVE GUHDE COOLING MEANS Paul T. Brantingham, Fort Wayne, Ind., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application February 5, 1952, Serial No. 269,948 Ciaims. (Cl. 12S-41.77)

This invention relates to internal combustion engines and more particularly to a new and improved structure for cooling the valve stem guides of internal combustion engines of the valve in head type.

lt is a known fact that in internal combustion engines utilizing reciprocating valves for controlling the admission of fuel and the discharge of exhaust gases from the cylinders the valves are subjected to intense heat. The exhaust gases produced during the explosion stroke are in direct Contact with the valve head and stem causing high valve temperatures which are not inducive to long service life since excessive temperatures adversely affect the physical strength of the valve material, distort the valve head and accelerate the accumulation of carbon deposits on the valve stern resulting in an overall loss in operating eiciency and valve life. To assist in the solution to the above problem it is common practice to circulate cooling water through a water jacket in the cylinder head to cool the valve seats and valve stem guide bosses. However, the method and means commonly employed to encourage the heat liow from the valve stem to the cooling water is retarded because the construction of the supporting structure for the replaceable valve guide does not permit the cooling water to come in direct contact with the valve guide. lt is, therefore, the primary objective of the present invention to provide a valve guide cooling means which overcomes the abovementioned design limitation by providing an annular pocket about a portion of the replaceable guide through which cooling water is circulated.

Another object is to provide cooling means for maintaining the valve guide at a low temperature to increase the rate of heat flow from the valve head and stem to the valve guide by the elimination of heat dam resulting from the valve guide boss being interposed between the cooling water and the replaceable valve guide.

Still another object is the provision of a valve guide which cooperates with valve chamber formed in the cylinder. head in a novel manner to form a cooling water pocket which is in liquid communication with the cylinder head water jacket.

The foregoing and other important objects and desirable features inherent in and encompassed by the invention, together with many of the purposes and uses thereof will become readily apparent from a reading of the ensuing description in conjunction with the annexed drawing which is a vertical transverse section taken through the cylinder head and exhaust valve of an internal combustion engine with the valve in closed position.

Referring to the drawing in detail there is shown a cylinder head 1li which is fastened to the engine block (not shown). The cylinder head includes a top wall 11 vertically spaced from a bottom wall 12. The bottom wall 12 defines the upper surface of the cylinder 13, partially shown. The top and bottom walls 11, 12 are joined by integrally formed vertically extending side walls 14. The space 15 enclosed by the top, bottom, and

side walls 11, 12 and 14 forms the cylinder head water jacket which has a cooling fluid continuously circulated therethrough to cool the upper part of the engine cylinders.

The bottom wall 12 is provided with a circular aperture 16 which is counterbored tolform an annular pocket 17 for rigidly receiving a valve seat insert 1S. The aperture 16 opens into a transversely extending passageway 19, the purpose of which is to conduct the hot exhaust gases from the cylinder to the atmosphere externally of the engine. As shown, the exhaust passageway 19 is defined by an intermediate, cylindrical wall 20 spaced intermediate the top and bottom walls 11 and 12.

The top wall 11 is provided with a circular opening 21 which is in vertical alignment with the aperture 16 formed in the bottom wall 12. An annular shoulder or ledge 22, the purpose of which will be explained hereinafter, encircles the opening 21 and is obtained by counterboring the opening. An aperture 23, spaced between and in vertical alignment with the opening 21 and aperture 16, is formed in the intermediate wall 20. lt will be noted that the diameter of the aperture 23 is smaller than the diameter of the opening 21. A cylindrical wall section 24 having an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of the opening 21 extends vertically between the top and intermediate walls 11 and 2l).

A cylindrical valve guide 25 extends through the wall section 24 and has its lower end 26 tightly pressed into the aperture 23. The valve guide 25 is provided with an integrally formed, radially extending flange 27 which is adapted to firmly abut the annular ledge 22. lt will be noted that the diameter of the Valve guide portion 28 extending between the top and intermediate walls 11, 2t) is less than the internal diameter of the wall section 24 and its lower end 26 to form an annular pocket or chamber 29 defined by the wall section 24, the valve guide 2S, and the ange 27.

A valve 3i), slidably supported by the valve guide 25, includes a head portieri 31 adapted to engage the valve seat insert 18 to close the exhaust passageway 19 and a valve stem 32. During the operation of the engine it is obvious that 'the valve head portion 31 and the stem 32 are subjected to the hot gaseous products of the explosions causing the valve 3i) to become heated to extremely high, objectionable temperatures. in order to dissipate the heat transmitted to the valve 3) and to lower the temperature of the same, an inlet passageway 33 is formed in the wall section 24 adjacent the valve guide lower end 26 to provide means for introducing cooling water contained in the water jacket 15 into the pocket 29. The cooling water tllls the pocket 29 cornpletely and is discharged to the water jacket 15 through an outlet passageway 34 formed in the wall section 24 adjacent the top wall 11. Inasmuch as the valve guide portion 28 is completely surrounded by cooling water which is continually circulated through the pocket 29 the heat transmitted to the valve guide 25 from the valve stem 32 is effectively dissipated to maintain the valve stem at a proper operating temperature.

The embodiment of the invention chosen for the purposes of illustration and description herein is that preferred as the result of selective tests based upon requirements for achieving the objects of the invention and developing the utility thereof in the most desirable manner, due regard being had to existing factors of economy, production methods, and the improvements sought to be eifected. It will be appreciated, therefore, that the particular structure and functional aspects emphasized herein are not intended to exclude, but rather to suggest, such other adaptations and modifications of the invention as fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as deined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an internal combustion engine the combination comprising, a cylinder bead including a top wail having an opening formed therein and a bottom wall defining the upper and lower limits of a water jacket for the circulation of cooling water, an intermediate wall formed and disposed to provide an exhaust gas passageway through said water jacket, said intermediate wall having an aperture formed therein ot less diameter than and being aligned with said opening formed in said top wall, said opening being counterbored to provide an annu.w ledge, a cylindrical wall section integrally formed with and extending between said top and intermediate walls and having an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said opening, a cylindrical valve guide having one end inserted in said aperture and secured to said intermediate wall and having a radial frange inter mediate its ends abutting said ledge and secured to said top wall, the outer diameter of the portion of the valve guide extending between said Itop and bottom walls being less than the inner diameter of said wall section to provide an annular pocket defined oy said wali section, intermediate wall, flange, and valve guide, said section being provided with a passageway adjacent said intermediate wall for admitting cooling water to said pocket from said water jacket and a passageway adjacent said top wall for emitting cooling7 water from said pocket to said water jacket.

2. In an internal combustion engine the combination comprising, a cylinder head including a top wall having an opening formed therein and a bottom wall detining the upper and lower limits of a water jacket for the circulation of cooling water, an intermediate wall formed and disposed to provide an exhaust gas passageway through said water jacket, said intermediate wall having an aperture formed therein of less diameter than and aligned with said opening formed in said top wall, said opening being counterbored to provide an annular ledge, a cylindrical wail section integrally formed with and extending between said top and intermediate walls and having an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said opening, a cylindrical valve guide having one end inserted in said aperture and secured to said intermediate wall and having a radial ilange intermediate its ends abutting said ledge and secured to said top wall, the outer diameter of the portion of said valve guide extending between said top and bottom walls being less than the diameter of said aperture and the inner diameter of said wall section to provide an annular pocket defined by said liange, intermediate wall, wall section, and

valve guide, said section being provided with passageways therethrough adjacent each end thereof for establishing liquid communication between said water jacket and said annular pocket.

3. In an internal combustion engine the combination comprising, a cylinder head including a top wall having an opening formed therein and a bottom wall defining the upper and lower limits of a water jacket for the circulation of cooling water, an intermediate wall formed and disposed to provide an exhaust gas passageway through said water jacket, said intermediate Wall having an aperture formed therein of less diameter than and aligned with said opening formed in said top wall, a cylindrical sleeve-like wall integrally formed with and extending between said top and intermediate walls, said sleevelike wall being in alignment with said aperture and opening and having an inner diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said opening, a cylindrical valve guide disposed within said sleeve-like wall having one end inserted in said aperture and secured to said intermediate wall, means to secure said valve guide to said top wall including a radial projection extending from said valve guide adapted to abut said top wall adjacent said opening, the outer diameter of said valve guide being less than the inner diameter of said sleeve-like wall to provide an annular pocket partially defined by the outer surface of said valve guide and the inner surface of said sleeve-like wall, and means for establishing liquid cornmunication between said water jacket and said annular' pocket.

4. In an internal combustion engine the combination comprising, a cylinder head having a water jacket and an exhaust passageway extending through said water jacket, a sleeve-like wall aiiixed to said head extending through said water jacket and opening into said exhaust passageway and exteriorly of said head, a valve guide disposed within and concentric with said sleeve-lik wall, said guide being atlixed to said head and having an outer surface portion thereof spaced from the interior surface of said sleeve-like wall to form an annular space, means adjacent each end of said sleeve-like wall for sealing said annular space from said exhaust passageway and the exterior' of said head, said means including a radial ange rigidly secured to said valve guide adapted to engage said top Wall on the exterior side thereof and means adjacent each end of said sleeve-like wall for establishing liquid communication between said water jacket and said annular space.

5. In an internal combustion engine the combination comprising, a cylinder head having a water jacket and an exhaust passageway extending through said water jacket, a cylindrical sleevelike wall integrally formed with said head extending through said Water jacket and opening into said exhaust passageway and exteriorly of said head, a valve guide disposed within and concentric with said sleeve-like wall, an outer surface portion of said guide being spaced from the interior surface of said sleevelike wall to form an annular pocket, means adjacent each end of said sleevelike Wall for securing said guide to said head, said means including akradially projecting portion of said valve guide adapted to abut said top wall on the exteriorly facing side thereofand means adjacent each end of said sleeve-like wall for establishing liquid communication between said water jacket and said pocket.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,033,265 Baumann Dec. 30, 1913 1,735,865 Jardine Nov. 19, 1929 2,222,457 Scheibe Nov. 19, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,361 Austria Oct. 10, 1901 

